


Alive

by Navangely



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, M/M, baby steps, but they're getting closer to the stage where they're in complete harmony, set a few months after Clark's resurrection, they're tiptoeing around each other and they don't understand each other that well yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 22:19:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7549462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Navangely/pseuds/Navangely
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Bruce clenched his fist. Clark was the sun, bright and good and full of life. He would be his moon. He would guard Clark from the shadows. If creatures born from hell came for Superman during the night, wanting to taint him with darkness, Batman would be there to protect him. He would make sure that when dawn breaks, Superman’s golden light can shine upon the world again.</i>
</p>
<p>Bruce thought Clark was a god but gods shouldn't be able to die.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seasyndo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seasyndo/gifts).



> This fic is dedicated to Syn. It was born from a conversation about Bruce worrying about Clark after his resurrection (in his subtle Bruce way, of course). I hope you'll like it, dear.
> 
> Betaed by the lovely Tori.
> 
> Please enjoy!

It was a sound of pure bliss. A melody of hope in the reign of chaos. It invited the darkness in his heart to a dance, cleansing him of sin and regret. He fell in love with it instantly, wanting to listen to it for the rest of his life.

It was Clark’s laugh.

Superman was talking to the members of the newly born Justice League. He was the reason they all came together but he was the last one to join them. He got resurrected a few months ago – and really, Bruce should have expected a miracle. Superman wasn’t a fragile human being, after all. He was nothing like him.

The League members had been all happy to meet him. They were amazed and fascinated by him and they treated him with the respect he shouldn’t have had to die for. Clark, in return, was very eager to get to know them. He had felt out of place his whole life, and now suddenly, there were others like him – others the world was quick to label as “freaks”. They all had their powers and the tragedies that had turned them into who they were today. However, Bruce realized as he watched them, they were all human underneath. They all loved this planet that was so gracious when handing out pain but so stingy when it came to happiness. Despite often resembling hell rather than heaven, they all wanted to protect the Earth. It was their home.

Bruce was organizing the League’s database but it was just a cover so he could observe the metahumans while they talked to each other. He knew he was the weakest of them all in terms of physical strength but he had every intention of making up for it with his intelligence. He wanted to gather information about their techniques, so he could fit them into his strategies. Uniting them wasn’t his job – it was Superman’s who was already doing it without even knowing about it. The League members fell under his charm and leadership naturally. Clark treated them with kindness and like equals. He made them feel needed.

And then he laughed at something the Flash had said. The League members were all smiling and looking at Barry, but Bruce couldn’t tear his eyes away from Clark. He had never heard his laugh like this before. It was rich and sweet and it lit up the whole room as if he was sunshine on a cold winter day.

The cold, cruel realization, that he had tried to take this laugh away from the world, hit him with a force that made him forget how to breathe. He had come so close to never being able to hear this beautiful sound, so close to denying it from the world that needed this melody of hope so badly. And when his heart had stopped him from doing the unforgivable, there was actually someone who succeeded where he had failed.

Bruce clenched his fist. Clark was the sun, bright and good and full of life. He would be his moon. He would guard Clark from the shadows. If creatures born from hell came for Superman during the night, wanting to taint him with darkness, Batman would be there to protect him. He would make sure that when dawn breaks, Superman’s golden light can shine upon the world again.

xxx

Clark stood in front of one of the huge windows of the Watchtower. He was watching the stars and the Earth and tried to stop shivering. Ever since he had come back to life, sometimes he would be cold without any explanation. It was like his grave wanted to have him back in the ground. He felt icy fingers crawling up his skin to his neck, threatening to choke him. He knew it was just his imagination but it felt so real and he feared the day when he wouldn’t be able to convince himself that it was all just in his head.

Clark sighed. He thought about the Justice League to distract himself. They were all so amazing and wonderful. Each of them was a force to reckon with on their own and the good they would be able to do together made Clark smile. Earth could be an ugly place but the Justice League would represent hope. Mankind wouldn’t have to be afraid, knowing that it had guardians. The League was the beginning of a new era.

It was all thanks to Bruce.

When Diana gave him a tour through the Watchtower, she said that Batman had assembled the metahumans in his honour. She told him about Bruce’s vows at his funeral and Clark was deeply touched. He would have never imagined the lengths Batman would go for him, especially after the rocky start of their relationship.

But now here they were. Looking forward to a future side by side.

Clark felt selfish for being grateful for not having to face the unknown days ahead alone. He didn’t want to admit it to anyone, least of all himself, but he was afraid. Terrified, even. He had thought he was invulnerable. He had thought that he could withstand anything thrown at him, that there was no stopping him. He had been sure that he could protect Earth and those he loved, forever.

He was wrong.

He could be killed. He could be buried. His loved ones could have time to mourn him and move on.

But the need for someone to care for the planet, to stop wars and save innocents, would never cease to exist.

Before there had only been Superman. Now there was the Justice League. And Clark wanted to do everything in his power to help them, to keep them safe, so they would never have to face the nothingness that lied beyond the grave.

“You should go home.” Bruce’s heartbeat was steady as usual, always with a purpose. “Get some rest.” He walked slowly across the hall and came to stand next to him. He didn’t look at Clark.

“Are you worried about me?” Clark teased him with a playful smile on his lips.

Bruce turned to him and the fierce determination in his eyes froze Clark. “Gods shouldn’t be able to die.”

Clark wanted to say something but the words got lost in his mind. He didn’t know how the man could voice his biggest fear just like that.

Upon seeing his reaction, Bruce suddenly looked very tired. He turned away from him and focused his attention on the planet below them.

“Go home, Clark. I’m sure Lois and your Ma would be happy to have you with them.”

Clark sighed. “It’s not… It’s hard to face them. I've caused them so much pain and… I don’t know if I can ever make up for it.”

“Your death wasn’t your fault.”

“I know. But I could have done so many things differently… Had I discovered Luthor’s schemes earlier, had I been faster… It’s not that I was afraid to die. But seeing Lois and Ma like this… Ma sometimes touches my face so she can believe I’m real. I catch Lois staring at me. She… has that haunting look on her face. As if she doesn’t dare to blink because then she would wake up and I wouldn’t be there anymore.”

Bruce was silent for a moment. “We all have our regrets. We think about all the things we could have done differently, all the people we could have saved… It never ends. What ifs are our biggest enemies and we can’t conquer them. We can only learn to live with them, move on and try to make amends… if given the opportunity.” There was something in his voice that made Clark turn to him.

Bruce was looking at him. Clark had never noticed before how blue his eyes were. It was a piercing kind of blue, one that resembled the cold ocean. It represented power and hardships and demanded respect.

It was beautiful.

There was a slight movement and then Bruce slowly lifted up his hand to Clark’s face. He hesitated for a second, as if asking for permission, before gently touching the warm skin. Bruce’s fingers were cold and Clark welcomed the feeling. It was a feather-like touch, meant to give reassurance to both of them. Clark understood. There was a rare vulnerability in Bruce's gaze as it followed his fingers along Clark's jawline. Clark was tempted to lean in but before he could, Bruce took his hand away.

Without another word, he walked away and left the hall. Clark watched him go.

There was no need for anything else. Superman was alive.


End file.
